The National tribune., 1887-12-15
GEN. EMORY AGAIN.
A Review OF the Service Of the Dead Hero.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The very in
teresting notice of the late Gen. Emory in your
issue of Dec. 6 contains several unintentional
errors, which perhaps IL is worth while 10 point
out
i. The circumstances respecting his resigna-
tion in 1861 have been very differently stated.
il was generally supposed by those in the Nine
teenth Corps who occasionally gossiped over
the matter, that the resignation offered was
wholly unauthorized. Your version seems prob
able, but ii conflicts with a recent statement
that at the time Of Twiggs's reasonable efforts
Emory led his troops IA battalion), went TO Fort
Smith, and 10 that extent counteracted the
baseness of Twiggs The resignation was soon
Cancelled, but IL was ever afterward regarded as
cloud upon his reputation for loyalty that
made his promotion so slow. Doubtless the
official records Of the War Department will
disclose the true reason TO be-not in any hasty
act Of Gen. Emory's, but in some unauthorized
action by member Of his family.
2. No reference is made 10 Gen. Emory's ar
duous service in the Florida war, under Jack
sons Administration, against the Seminoles
In a conversation held with him at his resi-
dence in Washington early last year, the Gen
eral stated that his principal disability was in
CURED at that time, aud that il had more or
less incapacitated him for active service ever
since. All acquainted with the General know
that il was pretty severe strain for him TO
]
time he had 10 ride easy-going horses selected
with great care. After losing both his grays
in the battle OF Cedar Creek (0ct. 10, 1864, he
was mounted upon a regular old plug, and
probably few ever suffered more torture that
day than he. in that battle he was twice dis
mounted before s a. m. which was before Gen.
Sheridan had arrived.
3. The writer was n member Of Keyess
/ Fourth Corps during the whole period of its
short existence. but never before heard that
! Gen. Emory ever held therein any infantry
command. On the contrary, think he was
with the Regular cavalry Of McCiellan's army
throughout until sent away with Bankss ex-
| petition.
4. March ID, 1863, Gen. Emory commanded
one of the three divisions with which Gen.
Banks menaoed Port Hudson the night Farra-
gut got past il. No attack was then made.
Gen. Banks also was in personal command Of
all the troops on the Teche and in the action
of April ID near Bisand 1t was Growers Di-
vision that made a turning movement there,
while Emory's merely confronted the enemy's
intrenchment. The Generals Florida disability
soon compelled him TO return TO New Orleans,
| where he remained in command whilst the
main army under Banks besieged Port Hudson.
5. Respecting the Red River expedition, Gen.
| Emory's command therein was that Of his di-
vision only, for only his division CT the Nine
! teenth Corps marched up the Teche TO Alex
rived there by water and there remained until
Birge's Brigade was forwarded on transports
TO Grand Ecore 10 which place Banks had re-
treated after the sanguinary battles of Sabine
Crossroads and Pleasant Hill, April and 9,
points IL miles apart. Birge's Brigade, of
course, came under Gen. Emorys orders April
| %, when, in connection with one OF his own
brigades the Third, Mouet's Bluff was cleared
Of the rebel cavalry that were there TO impede
! Bankss continued retreat.
g. 1t seems absurd TO quibble over losses
" immense loss in guns and wagons at Sa-
bine Crossroads; but il is rash TO assert that
the arrival Of our division at dusk, at point
four or five miles in rear Of where the two
small divisions OF Gen. Ransom and Col. Lam
drum, Thirteenth Corps, and the two brigades
Of mounted infantry cavalry of A. l.. Lee
were all routed saved the entire army"
IL is rash, because no part Of Smiths "a. j.
forces got within 20 miles OF Sabine, and one
half of the Nineteenth Corps was at Alexan-
dria, 100 miles 70 the rear, etc. Emory's three
brigades deployed in woods and became cover
TO the retreating fragments Of the Thirteenth
Corps and the cavalry, and checked the Con-
federate pursuit. Without much loss, its fire
did quench the ardor Of the enthusiastic and
much-disorganized troops Of the three diyis.
ions of Gen. Dick Taylor. The next evening
at Pleasant Hill, April 8. another enthusiastic
rebel attack on Emory's three brigades and on
teenth) Corps, was also similarly quenched.
The feature Of this expedition was the skillful
extradtiOn of Admiral Porters feet at Alex
andria by the remarkable expedient OF the
famous Red River dam, as planned and super
intended by Capt. Bailey, acting as Provost
Marshal 1--WE think on Emory's staff. Bailey
was an officer Of the sth Wis, at that time
mounted as infantry.
z. The Nineteenth Corps in Louisiana was
reorganizcd somewhat, and Gen. Reynolds
Grants tutor at West Point was assigned 10
its command, but later On June about Growers
and Emory's Divisions were ordered by Grant
! into Virginia, and thence 10 Washington.
From that point, after Early's raid had been
repealed by the Sixth Corps all these forces
were forwarded TO the Shenandoah, and Emory
was there assigned TO the command of the
: Nineteenth Corps.
s. With reference TO the battle at 0pequar
north of Winchester, the account mixes NJ
Herewith Sheridan's memorable ride Of q
miles (really about 15l, month later, from
J Winchester south 10 Cedar Creek.
: Now in conclusion, there can be no doubt
but that Gen. Emory was most highly esteemed
by Gen. Sheridan, and always greatly loved by
every good soldier that ever served under him
Also, that ne was increasingly regarded by Gen
Grant. particularly during the tr0ublous times
with President johnson. This was shown by
Q Grants action as soon as he was inaugurated
III suptfcculhB ilancOck WIN Ocn. Shcfluah
in Louisiana, and sending Gen. Emory b
command the Department under Sheridan
: as one whom Grant and Sheridan could safely
rely upon. This was the most critical part OF tn
South after the war. Emory probably was
Democrat but not partisan one, and SO hi
selection for that sphere of duty at that juno
ture we have always felt was one of the high
e est honors in the power of the worlds creates
}, warrior statesman 10 c0nfer.-LEwIs Nj. PECK
4 | Colonel l73d NJ " Nineteenth earns Rreve
: Major-General 200 Broadway. New York city
q lNoTE.-The memoranda for the sketc
last week Of Gen. Emory, as well as tn
!. photograph, was obtained from the dead hero
q own famiy.-EDIToR.
n